1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pick-up vehicle having an open cargo bed connected to a passenger cab in which the cargo bed includes or is defined by side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located inside or outside of the cargo bed. The invention also relates to a swivel device for loading and unloading the pick-up vehicle.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Pick-up vehicles, e.g., road vehicles having a passenger cab connected to a cargo bed separated from the vehicle chassis, include side walls and a rear wall. The loading of pick-up vehicles can present problems when loads which cannot be lifted, either over the side walls or into the cargo bed through an opened rear wall, by hand. Since pick-up vehicles are being used more frequently as recreational vehicles, also called SUVs (sport utility vehicles), it would be beneficial to be able to load them with, e.g., all-terrain motorcycles or small watercraft without problems. When loading motorcycles, e.g., ramps can be used, however, this may require considerable dexterity and pose a certain safety hazard when the motorcycle is driven onto the ramp. Of course, when loading watercraft, the ramp option is not available. Moreover, the loading of other loads by hand can also be problematic.
Swivel devices for onloading, offloading, and tilting of trough-shaped containers are known, e.g., for use with trucks and construction vehicles. For trucks, two lateral swivel arms are generally provided which are respectively swivelably linked with one end behind the truck chassis. Further, the swivel arms can have a holding device for a load-bearing device, e.g., chains or wire cable at their free end, which device can be attached to the hopper to be onloaded or offloaded. During onloading, the hopper is deposited or positioned on transverse or longitudinal supports of the truck chassis. The swiveling motion of the swivel arms is generally achieved by hydraulically activated piston/cylinder arrangements which are fastened to the chassis and to the respective swivel arm. Swiss Patent Application No. CH-A-546 657 discloses, e.g., a swivel device for a truck, and European Patent Application No. EP-A-0 337 678 discloses, e.g., a construction vehicle having a swivel device for hoppers, in which the hoppers are likewise laterally received on swivel arms. A bridge that connects the swivel arms to an additional holding element serves to hold the hopper in a fixed position, which is arranged on the swivel arms when this hopper is tilted.
With such known swivel/tilt devices, a large height in the rest state results which is not objectionable for trucks and specialty vehicles, i.e., construction vehicles, but which by contrast is unacceptable for road vehicles such as pick-up vehicles because these vehicles should also be able to negotiate residential and commercial garages as well as wash stations.
The present invention provides a simple option for loading even bulky and/or heavy loads onto a pick-up vehicle without diminishing the vehicle""s suitability as a normal road vehicle.
Thus, the present invention is directed to a pick-up vehicle similar in general to that discussed above, which also includes a swivel device for loading and unloading of the vehicle. The swivel device includes at least one swivel arm which is laterally arranged in the cargo bed, and a swivel axis of the swivel device is arranged between the end of the cargo bed, i.e., the rear wall, and the wheel wells. The swivel arm also includes at least one bent or curved section along its length.
Using the swivel device of the instant invention for loading and unloading a pick-up vehicle allows for effortless loading and unloading by depositing a load on the ground behind the vehicle or on the cargo bed, and for a reduction in the height at the rest position through the curvature of or bend in the swivel arms, which renders the pick-up vehicle more roadworthy.
Further, the present invention provides a swivel device for the pick-up vehicle which ensures good loadability of the vehicle without impairing the use of the vehicle as a road vehicle. In this regard, the swivel device includes at least one swivel arm which is laterally arranged in the cargo bed, and a swivel axis of the swivel device is arranged between the end of the cargo bed, i.e., the rear wall, and the wheel wells. The swivel arm also includes at least one bent or curved section along its length.
The bowed or bent swivel arms of the swivel arms enables the swivel device to be arranged on a pick-up vehicle without significantly increasing height of such a vehicle. Moreover, the swivel device allows for simple loading and unloading of the pick-up vehicle.
Further still, the present invention is directed to a process in which a pick-up vehicle can be simply loaded and unloaded without limiting the suitability of the vehicle as a road vehicle. In this regard, a loading and unloading motion of the process includes swiveling of the swivel arm.
The present invention is directed to a pick-up vehicle having an open cargo bed coupled to a passenger cab, side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located one of inside and outside of the cargo bed. The pick-up vehicle includes a swivel device adapted for loading and unloading the open cargo bed, in which the swivel device includes at least one swivel arm, at least one connecting bridge, and at least one movable connection piece. A swivel axis of the swivel device is located between the rear wall and the wheel wells, and the at least one swivel arm includes swivel arms located on both sides of the cargo bed. The at least one connecting bridge is positioned to couple the swivel arms to form a swivel yoke. The swivel device includes two swivel axes located one behind the other in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and at a same height relative to the cargo bed, and a swivel arm is swivelably coupled around one of the two swivel axes, and the swivel arms are coupled together through the at least one movable connection piece, thereby forming a parallelogram-like swivel arm structure.
In accordance with a feature of the invention, the swivel yoke in a resting position forms a roll bar for the passenger cab.
According to another feature, at least one load uptake device can be couplable to the movable connection piece. Further, at least one rigid suspension may be provided. The at least one load uptake device comprises a platform, and the at least one rigid suspension rigidly couples the platform to the movable connection piece.
According to still another feature of the invention, the swivel axes may lie essentially on a plane of the cargo bed.
Further, the swivel axes can lie beneath a plane of the cargo bed. Still further, at least one of the swivel axes can be raised compared to the cargo bed.
The at least one swivel arm can include one of a curved and bent section along its length. The at least one swivel arm includes a straight section, and the one of a curved and bent section is formed by the connection piece.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the at least one swivel arm may include a straight section along its length.
The present invention is directed to a swivel device for loading and unloading a pick-up vehicle, the pick-up vehicle having an open cargo bed coupled to a passenger cab, side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located one of inside and outside of the cargo bed. The swivel device includes at least one swivel arm, at least one connecting bridge, and at least one movable connection piece. A swivel axis of the swivel device is adapted to be located between the rear wall and the wheel wells, and the at least one swivel arm includes swivel arms located on both sides of the cargo bed, and the at least one connecting bridge is positioned to couple the swivel arms to form a swivel yoke. The swivel device includes two swivel axes located one behind the other in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and at a same height relative to the cargo bed, such that a swivel arm is swivelably coupled around the two swivel axes, and the swivel arms are coupled together through the at least one movable connection piece, thereby forming a parallelogram-like swivel arm structure.
According to a feature of the instant invention, the swivel device can further include an hydraulic, electric, pneumatic, or hand-activated drive for swiveling of the swivel yoke.
Further, at least one load uptake device may be couplable to the movable connection piece. Further still, at least one rigid suspension is provided, and the at least one load uptake device may include a platform, and the at least one rigid suspension may rigidly couple the platform to the movable connection piece.
In accordance with the invention, a support bracket can be adapted to lie on the cargo bed and to provide the swivel axis.
Further, the swivel axis may be located about a portion of a chassis of the pickup vehicle.
Still further, the at least one swivel arm may include a longitudinally adjustable lifting arm.
The at least one swivel arm may include one of a curved and bent section along its length. The at least one swivel arm can include a straight section, and the one of a curved and bent section may be formed by the connection piece.
The at least one swivel arm can include a straight section along its length.
The present invention is directed to a pick-up vehicle having an open cargo bed coupled to a passenger cab, side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located one of inside and outside of the cargo bed. The pick-up vehicle includes a swivel device comprising at least four swivel arms swivelably coupled to a support device at first ends, a connecting bridge positioned to couple at least two of the four swivel arms at ends opposite the first ends, which forms a swivelable yoke, two connection pieces for coupling the swivelable yoke to the other swivel arms at the ends opposite the first ends, and at least one load uptake device being rigidly coupled to the two connection pieces. The swivel arms are swivelably positionable around swivel axes between a rest position in which the swivel arms are substantially over the cargo bed and an extended position in which the arms extend out of the cargo bed in a direction of the rear wall, and the swivel axes are located one behind the other and at same heights relative to the cargo bed.
In accordance with the invention, the support device can be positioned above a plane of the cargo bed, or positioned below a plane of the cargo bed, or positioned on a plane of the cargo bed.
A second connecting bridge can be positioned to couple the other swivel arms together at ends opposite the first ends, thereby forming a second swivelable yoke. At least one of the two connection pieces may be arranged to couple the swivelable yoke to the second swivelable yoke at the ends opposite the first ends, and the swivelable yoke and the second swivelable yoke can be swivelably positionable between a rest position in which the swivel arms are substantially over the cargo bed and an extended position in which the swivel arms extend out of the cargo bed in a direction of the rear wall.
According to another feature of the present invention, at least two of the swivel arms can include one of a curved and bent section along its length.
In accordance with still another feature, at least two of the swivel arms may include a straight section, and the connection piece can include one of a curved and bent section.
Further still, at least two of the swivel arms may include a straight section along its length.
The present invention is directed to a pick-up vehicle having an open cargo bed coupled to a passenger cab, side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located one of inside and outside of the cargo bed. The pick-up vehicle includes a swivel device having at least four swivel arms swivelably coupled to support devices at first ends, wherein the at least four swivel arms are formed into at least two pairs swivelable around swivel axes, at least one connecting bridge positioned to couple at least one of the at least two pairs of swivel arms at ends opposite the first ends, which forms at least one swivelable yoke, at least two connections for coupling the at least one swivelable yoke to the other pair of swivel arms at the ends opposite the first ends, and at least one load uplifting device being rigidly coupled to the at least two connections. The at least one swivelable yoke and the other pair of swivel arms are swivelably positionable between a rest position in which the swivel arms are substantially over the cargo bed and an extended position in which the swivel arms extend out of the cargo bed in a direction of the rear wall, and the swivel axes are horizontally spaced from each and arranged at same heights relative to the cargo bed.
Further, the at least one connecting bridge comprises at least two connecting bridges can be positioned to couple the at least two pairs of swivel arms at ends opposite the first ends, which forms at least two swivelable yokes, and at least two connections for coupling the two swivelable yokes together at the ends opposite the first ends. The at least two swivelable yokes may be swivelably positionable between a rest position in which the swivel arms are substantially over the cargo bed and an extended position in which the swivel arms extend out of the cargo bed in a direction of the rear wall.
According to the invention, the at least four swivel arms can include straight sections.
In accordance with another feature, the at least four swivel arms may include at least one of bent and curved sections.
In accordance with yet another feature of the present invention, at least two of the at least four swivel arms may include a straight section, and the at least two connections may include one of a curved and bent section.
Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawings.